M a g a z i n e: Christopher Raeburn Autumn/Winter 2012 London Fashion Week

19 February 2012

Christopher Raeburn Autumn/Winter 2012 London Fashion Week

Designer name: Christopher Raeburn
Origin: Kent, South East England
Design background: Raeburn graduated from the Royal College of Art nearly four years ago. He freelanced mainly as a pattern cutter before setting up his own studio, and later his label. He comments, “I knew that I wanted to do my own production and because the label’s remade nature is fairly specialist, it’s taken a while to grow to the point I’m at now. I’m excited about the next steps”.
Career highlight: “I travelled to New York and Tokyo for the first time this year; both were incredible. I even met Anna Wintour; that has to be a career highlight in anybody’s book…”
Design signatures: “Innovative, functional and fun.”
How would you describe the Christopher Raeburn client?
“I think my customer changes a lot but I’d like to think they are looking for something different, ethically intelligent and proudly remade in England.”
Trademark piece: “The Pop Out Parka. I take the iconic and trademark shape of the parka and re-develop it into two jackets that can function together or separately through their innovative cut and technique.”
Three autumn/winter 2012 inspirations: “We've had a lot of fun with the collections this season and our inspirations have been wonderfully far flung; on menswear it's all about fire-proofed Nomex providing functionality and beautiful detailing, whereas womenswear is more about a playful take on feminine functionality and extreme weather conditions.”
What does 2012 hold for your brand?
“I suspect it's going to be busier than ever; we're incredibly proud of our British Fashion Award (for Emerging Talent Menswear) and we're really hoping to build on the success of 2011. Womenswear is an important part of our business and we're looking forward to really challenging ourselves in this area; of course it's important that sustainability is always at the core.”
What is your favourite decade in fashion?
“I think we might be in it. (Is that biased?!)”
Where do you go in London to seek artistic inspiration?
“Chiswick Boot Fair; it's one of my favourite places in London. It's the first Sunday of every month (apart from January) and I really can't recommend it enough...”

Christopher Raeburn won the Emerging Talent - Menswear award at the British Fashion Awards 2011